{"id":1684,"date":"2026-10-01T19:54:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/?page_id=1684"},"modified":"2026-10-01T19:55:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:55:21","slug":"microcosm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/microcosm\/","title":{"rendered":"microcosm"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Project \u2014 live electronics & visuals<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Microcosm<\/em><\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Styrian accordion, kalimba and percussion meet analog effects and modular synthesizers \u2013 looped live, transformed and invented entirely in the moment.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Jonny K\u00f6lbl \u00b7 Madeleine Haider \u00b7 Premiere July 25, 2026<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n
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The sound space<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Where folk music<\/em> meets modular synthesizers.<\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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Microcosm opens up a sound space in which traditional instruments like the Styrian accordion, kalimba and percussive elements meet analog effects and modular synthesizers. The starting point is melodic fragments from Alpine and Nordic folk music. These are recorded live, transformed, looped and turned into new soundscapes \u2013 between minimal drones, rhythmic density and open, atmospheric textures.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The musical process unfolds entirely in the moment. Nothing is pre-programmed; the sound is shaped directly through analog signal paths and improvised interaction.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

In parallel, illustrative real-time visuals emerge that respond sensitively to the sound and enter into a mutual dialogue with the music.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Microcosm is a first public approach to this electroacoustic-visual experiment \u2013 a field of tension between cultural origins and contemporary abstraction.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n \t\t\tStyrian accordion<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tKalimba<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPercussion<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tAnalog effects<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tModular synthesizer<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tReal-time visuals<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n
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Behind the scenes<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

From sketch to dome.<\/em><\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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Behind the 45 minutes on stage are ten months of work \u2013 and none of it is off the shelf. The dome, the instruments, the light control: all designed, built, wired and programmed myself.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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10<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

months to the premiere<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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25 m<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

individually addressable LED strips<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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45 min<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

audiovisual live performance<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

pre-programmed sounds<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Stage \u00b7 designed & built myself<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The LED dome<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The stage of Microcosm is a walk-in geodesic dome in the shape of an icosahedron \u2013 designed and built myself, from the first pencil line on paper to the last solder joint. It completely surrounds me while I play and makes the idea of a microcosm tangible in space.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The struts are made of wood; I designed the connecting nodes myself and 3D-printed them. That way the dome can be taken apart, transported and rebuilt anywhere. Around 25 meters of individually addressable LED strips run along the struts, driven via Art-Net\/DMX from a control box I also built myself.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n \t\t\tWooden struts<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t3D-printed nodes<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t25 m of LEDs<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tArt-Net\/DMX<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tQuinLED<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n
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\n \t\t\t\"Erste\t\t\t\t\t

First sketch<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Probeaufbau\t\t\t\t\t

Shell in the workshop<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Selbst\t\t\t\t\t

Self-built control box<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Probenaufbau\t\t\t\t\t

Rehearsal at Audiotope Studio<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Sound \u00b7 wired & programmed myself<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The instrument setup<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

At its heart is a Eurorack modular system with modules from Mutable Instruments \u2013 Plaits<\/a>, Stages<\/a>, Blades<\/a>, Beads<\/a> and Marbles<\/a> \u2013, complemented by the semi-modular Intellijel Cascadia<\/a>, an Arturia MicroFreak<\/a> and the sequencer Torso T-1<\/a>. Accordion and kalimba are picked up by microphones and electromagnetic pickups and run through a pedal chain from Chase Bliss (Blooper<\/a>, Onward<\/a>, MOOD MKII<\/a>, Generation Loss MKII<\/a>, CXM 1978<\/a> and Clean<\/a>) and Hologram Electronics (Microcosm<\/a>, Chroma Console<\/a> and Infinite Jets<\/a>), plus the Plus Pedal<\/a> from Gamechanger Audio.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

A Radial EXTC-Stereo<\/a> reamper also lets the electronic sources run into this chain. A Morningstar MC6 Pro<\/a> recalls the presets of every device at once via MIDI for each piece; expression pedals and a 12 Step<\/a> shape filters, pressure and volume in real time. The first pieces were written during several weeks of seclusion in a remote cabin in Croatia \u2013 with the whole setup in tow.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n \t\t\tEurorack<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\tCascadia\n\t<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\tTorso T-1\n\t<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tEffects pedals<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tMIDI control<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n
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The Eurorack modular system<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Arbeitsquartier\t\t\t\t\t

Retreat in Croatia<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Signal-\t\t\t\t\t

Signal chart with presets per piece<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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\n\t\tLight \u00b7 Madeleine Haider aka Madeleine Marie\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The light is listening<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

The light isn\u2019t an illustration of the music, but an equal partner. Madeleine Haider<\/a> \u2013 as artist Madeleine Marie \u2013 developed her own control system for it in TouchDesigner<\/a> : with faders and buttons she switches live between scenes, colors and movement patterns. Via NDI the image goes to a second computer, where the dome is mapped in Resolume Arena<\/a> \u2013 every strut individually addressable.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

On top of that, the light reacts to the sound: the pulse of the drum machine makes it flicker briefly, synth pads create soft, slow gradients, and the intensity of the accordion flows into subtle nuances. So every light image is created in the moment \u2013 in the interplay between musician and light artist.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n \t\t\t\n\t\tTouchDesigner\n\t<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\tResolume Arena\n\t<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tNDI<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\taudio-reactive<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n
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\n \t\t\t\"Madeleine\t\t\t\t\t

Live light control<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\t\t\t

The dome in action<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Ten months to the premiere<\/em><\/h3>\n\t\t
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Fall 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Sound research & setup<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Building the setup of effects pedals, synthesizers and a modular system \u2013 and clearing lots of technical hurdles.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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Fall 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Collaboration<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

First conversations with Madeleine Haider about an interactive connection of light and sound.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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Dec 2025 \u2013 Jan 2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Composition retreat<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Several weeks in a cabin in Croatia: searching for sounds, improvising, first pieces.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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Spring \u2013 summer 2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Building & rehearsals<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Building the LED dome, programming the light control, weekly intensive rehearsals at Audiotope Studio in Graz.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n

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July 25, 2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

premiere<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Neudorf bei Ilz, Verein Gaudium \u2013 the dome right in the middle of the audience, 45 minutes of sound and light.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n

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Listen & watch<\/em><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\tlive from the sound space<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n \t\t\t\"Microcosm\t\t
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\n \t\t\t\u25b6<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\tPlay video<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPlaying the video loads it from YouTube.<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\tWatch the extended trailer on YouTube \u2197\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/section>\n

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At work<\/em><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\ttwo people, one sound space<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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Jonny K\u00f6lbl<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Styrian accordion, electronics<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n

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\n \t\t\t\"Madeleine\t<\/a>\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\tMadeleine Haider\n\t<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Visuals, light \u00b7 Madeleine Marie<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n

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In the moment<\/em><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\tphotos: reithofer media<\/span>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n
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\n \t\t\t\"B\u00fchnenaufbau\t\t\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Jonny\t\t\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Microcosm\t\t\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Steirische\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n
\n \t\t\t\"Logo\t\t\t\t\t

Microcosm was created as part of the 2025 Start Scholarship for Music and Music Theater, funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Projekt \u2014 Live-Elektronik & Visuals Microcosm Steirische Harmonika, Kalimba und Percussion treffen auf analoge Effektger\u00e4te und modulare Synthesizer \u2013 live geloopt, verfremdet und ganz im Moment erfunden. Jonny K\u00f6lbl \u00b7 Madeleine Haider Der Klangraum Wo Volksmusik auf modulare Synthesizer trifft. Microcosm er\u00f6ffnet einen Klangraum, in dem traditionelle Instrumente wie Steirische Harmonika, Kalimba und percussive Elemente […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1684","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1684"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1699,"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions\/1699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonnykoelbl.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}